This week at Down East, I take a look at the 1999 medical marijuana referendum as a reference point for this November's vote on expanding the law to allow state-regulated non-profit dispensaries.
Despite the 10-year time difference, I think the results of the 1999 referendum is still the most useful information in predicting the outcome this November. Little in-state polling has been done on the issue in the intervening years and when I tried matching marijuana-related arrests by county to the electoral data, I found only a small correlation, without statistical significance.
Data used in the map is from the Maine Secretary of State and Maine Geographic Information Systems. Blue towns voted for medical marijuana, with darker shades representing higher margins in favor. Towns in shades of orange voted against the initiative.
There are many good
There are many good persuasive arguments on why America should legalize marijuana; the problem is that fact has not translated into real political pressure on the people who can change the laws. One of the problems inhibiting legalization is that people that smoke a glass pipe or a hand rolled marijuana cigarette are not considered serious or mature. It is this stigma and the illegal nature of pot that makes people hide their use from public view, therefore reality of who uses pot is different than it seems. Marijuana Legislation is a serious issue and that has profound effects on crime the economy and society. In the end it is up to us to be public about our choices and to voice our opinions to the ones that ultimately decide what is legal. Every hand written letter that makes it to a representative is considered to be the voice of a thousand people who did not take the time to write. Send an email, send a letter, make a phone call and get counted.
IMPIart.com